DR Congo soldiers sentenced to death for fleeing battle
Members of the Congolese army sentenced to death for desertion and cowardice when fighting M23 rebels sit inside a military courtroom during their trial in Goma, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo on May 3, 2024. REUTERS
Twenty-five soldiers have been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo for fleeing battles against M23 rebels and theft, their lawyer and an army spokesman said on Thursday.
Congo's army has been fighting the M23 insurgency for more than two years, as well as facing other militia violence, with around 2.7 million people displaced within North Kivu province. The rebels advanced into strategically important territory last week.
